2009-2014 Cadillac CTS-V General Discussion Discussion, Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle in Cadillac CTS-V Series Forum - 2009-2014; Here's the situation. I've owned a '11 Vagon with Recaros since January of this year, and love it. It does ...

Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Here's the situation. I've owned a '11 Vagon with Recaros since January of this year, and love it. It does everything I've asked of it, it's very comfotable, and I like its creature comforts. Not as fast as my GT-R, but that's apples and oranges. Anyway, just had an offer on a home accepted, so we'll be moving in July. The problem is, my commuting distance will double, and I estimate my daily R/T to be between 70 to 80 miles. Based upon the fuel economy of this vehicle, I estimate that I'll be filling up twice a week, at the end of every third work day. So I am considering the possibility of selling the Vagon and getting something more fuel efficient. The problem is, look at my past vehicles, I've definitely always had a need for speed! So here's what I'm looking for:

Relatively fuel efficient (18MPG or better City, 20 MPG or better HWY)
Fast (come on, I can't be driving a grocery getter or a Prius!)
Not out of this world maintenance/service costs
Preferably AWD (RWD okay but a great set of snow tires must get me through the occasional snow in the DC area)
Space to comfortably seat my eight year old in the back

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

I have been averaging 14.8 MPG the past two or three months. That is a combination of 10% city/town and 90% highway, so that's probably the best I'm going to do. As far as price, I don't want to exceed the price range of a V, and used is better.

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Originally Posted by pronacyk

335(x)i. Easy 400rwhp with simple bolt-ons and around 27-30 mpg on the freeway.

Cost of those, "simple", mods? How about regular maintenance on BWM'ers?

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

There's nothing sold in N/A that's going to fit your bill in a wagon form.

What kind of fast are you looking for? Are you also looking for luxury?

an ATS4 3.6 is a sub 6 second car that manages 18/28 if you're wanting to keep it in the family, and being the same V6 in the camaro if you really wanted there's a lot of aftermarket for it both in N/A and F/I form.

Otherwise you're looking at;
B8 S4
335xi
A6 3.0T
535xi
If you're willing to come down market and go up a size;
300C/charger R/T AWD
Taurus SHO
and I can't believe I'm saying this, but If you're willing to look @ Chrysler products and the Taurus, I'd consider Lincoln as well. They look great these days, (although they're expensive). The MKZ is basically the fusion but can be optioned with a 3.7L V6 and AWD, and the MKS of course is just the SHO with the tinsel of luxury. You really just need to be incredibly in love with the styling to justify it.

The Holden commodore is coming back as the Chevrolet SS later this year if you can wait.

Mercedes C350 and the E class V6 are similar to the ATS in that they'll go reasonably well but have 0 opportunity for expansion.

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Audi Q5 TDI? Will have ~400 ft-lb of tq. Should be very nice and sprightly.

As expected, the turbodiesel Q5 impressed us with its mammoth torque reserve - 428 lb-ft are available and it feels like it. The Q5 TDI surges away from a stop with authority and in relative quiet. There's very little of the characteristic diesel engine din here. With power from very low rpm nearly all the way to its sub-5000 rpm redline, it's easy to be traveling well in advance of the speed limit without realizing it.

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Given all the vehicles mentioned so far, none of them would make me want to sell the V and buy one of them to take its place as a DD. Also, considering what I'd probably lose on selling my Vagon (bought for $52K, has 12,500 miles now, put on a full Clear Bra, so let's call it $53K), I'm guessing I could only sell it for between $48K-$50K. The money I'd save in gasoline over, say, 18 months, wouldn't make up that $3K to $5K loss. I may just have to keep the V and rack up the miles and double my gasoline bill each month, until such time I'm settled into the new house and have sold the old.

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Originally Posted by CTS-V Dragon Wagon

Given all the vehicles mentioned so far, none of them would make me want to sell the V and buy one of them to take its place as a DD. Also, considering what I'd probably lose on selling my Vagon (bought for $52K, has 12,500 miles now, put on a full Clear Bra, so let's call it $53K), I'm guessing I could only sell it for between $48K-$50K. The money I'd save in gasoline over, say, 18 months, wouldn't make up that $3K to $5K loss. I may just have to keep the V and rack up the miles and double my gasoline bill each month, until such time I'm settled into the new house and have sold the old.

The CTS-V Wagon is a unicorn among the automobile world. To suggest replacing it is an impossible task if you're looking for the exact same qualities.

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Originally Posted by M5eater

The CTS-V Wagon is a unicorn among the automobile world. To suggest replacing it is an impossible task if you're looking for the exact same qualities.

One of the two most appealing things to me about the V is it being one of the fastest cars on the road, and how unique they are (as opposed to seeing Porches, Mustangs, Camaros, Vettes, etc., all over the place. I like having someone that not many other people have and is insanely fast. The wagon is even more unique.

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Why not just do what I did an get a second car as your commuter car, I got a VW TDI Wagon and it is alot more fun to drive than I thought it would be. Maybe keep your eyes open for a used one. You can do some mods to that like a tune to make it even better. It handles a lot better than I thought it would too. Is also comfortable. Great daily driver car. This will allow me to keep my V in nice and new shape and it will be that much more fun when I do get behind the wheel of the Vagon.

Re: Might Have to Sell Vagon for a More Fuel Efficient (But Fast!) DD Vehicle

Interesting situation, and I can certainly understand your perspective. I drive a lot, sometimes 3000 miles a month or more. I have always been a gearhead though, and it seems I've always had something fast in the garage. Most recently I had a C6 Z06 as my fun car, and a VW TDI Passat as my daily driver. But I recently sold the Z06, in part because I drove it less than 3000 miles a year and just couldn't justify the car sitting in the garage almost all the time. The VW is a solid car, gets incredible MPG, large and comfortable for family travel as needed, but it is boring. I can feel the itch starting and have already been perusing different options for a 'fun' car. But this time I may do it differently. I'm considering a V wagon as my daily driver and my fun car - to which it is uniquely suited. I would be pouring in the fuel but the way I see it that fuel cost would be offset by the fact that I wouldn't have another vehicle. I'm more concerned about depreciation expense as I rack up so many miles. All cars depreciate though - even high MPG commuters, just a matter of what they cost going in.

I had an 09 V sedan which I really liked so I know what I am getting into. It was not my daily driver at the time and I wish I had driven it more. These are cars, not investments, and are meant to be driven. The difference between a 20k mile V and a 50k mile V is not that much. Depreciation is a much larger expense than fuel in almost all new(ish) cars.